Over the last 10-15 years baseball (and softball) coaches at all levels of the sport have become more involved with in-game strategy on a pitch-by-pitch basis. Many coaches now attempt to control the type of pitches his pitcher throws during a game by providing signals from the dugout or coaching box. For instance, a coach may signal the type of pitch (exs.—fastball, slider, curve, change-up, etc.) he wants the pitcher to throw based upon a game situation and/or game factors (exs.—the hitter who is batting, the number of runners on base, etc.). When providing the signals from the dugout, the coach may provide said signals either directly to the pitcher, or to the catcher, who may then relay the signals to the pitcher.
Numerical signal systems for signaling the type of pitch to be thrown have long been in existence. In such systems, a coach may provide signals indicating the type of pitch he wants the pitcher to throw by using his hands to signal a number associated with a type of pitch. For example, the coach may signal a number “1” if he wants the pitcher to throw a fastball, a number “2” if he wants the pitcher to throw a curve, a number “3” if he wants the pitcher to throw a slider, a number “4” if he wants the pitcher to throw a change-up, and a number “5” if he wants the pitcher to throw a different type of pitch than those mentioned above (exs.—sinker, knuckleball, screwball, forkball, pitch out, etc.). Over the years, it has been relatively easy for coaches to disguise the above-referenced signals from opposing team members by using such tactics as providing a sequential series of signals where only one of the signals in the series (decided upon beforehand by the coach and his players) is the true signal, or having multiple coaches and/or players send in signals at the same time, with only one of those coaches/players (the identity of whom is known only by the coach and his players) being the one sending in the true signals.
Alternatively, when it comes to signaling a location where the coach wants the pitch to be thrown, no practical system for doing so currently exists. In some current available systems, a coach may use verbal signals such as “keep it low” or may point to areas on his body to signal a desired location where he wants the pitcher to throw a given pitch. However, such currently available systems may not provide sufficient detail to the pitcher for communicating the exact desired location where the coach wants the ball thrown and further, may not provide a way for the signals to be easily disguised.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a signaling system/method which obviates the problems associated with currently available signaling systems.